Ecological Restoration of Retired Cranberry Farmland

Cranberry farming is an economically important and culturally iconic part of the Massachusetts landscape. However, the local industry faces numerous challenges today such as climate change and out-of-state competition, resulting in a wave of farm retirements and land use change. As landowners and growers determine what comes next for their lands, conservation and restoration is an option.   

Historical wetlands are located beneath most cranberry farms but are damaged and degraded by decades of agricultural practices. Ditches, dams, and sand placed on the farm surface bury native wetlands and alter hydrology, soils, and native plants. Simple restoration actions can undo these legacy impacts and set wetlands back on a recovery pathway.   

Mass Audubon directly works with growers who care deeply about restoring their land. 

Current and Past Projects

Tidmarsh Farms Wetland Restoration  

• Summary: Completed in 2016, Tidmarsh Farms is the largest freshwater restoration effort completed in Massachusetts to-date. Once a large commercial cranberry operation, generating up to 1% of the annual crop for Ocean Spray, Tidmarsh Farms has become a cornerstone example of cranberry farm wetland restoration. Upon retirement, the landowners elected to pursue conservation, and Mass Audubon acquired the property post-restoration to form the Tidmarsh Wildlife Sanctuary. Initial restoration efforts addressed hundreds of acres of farmland degraded by legacy agricultures practices. Actions include uncompacting soils and removing ditches, earthen berms, and water control structures. Since then, additional habitat restoration work has been completed such as converting old borrow pits into rare grassland habitats. 
• Status: The site is currently being stewarded by the Mass Audubon ecological management staff to identify new threats and maintain landscape health. Wetlands on site are continuing to heal and develop.
• Location: Plymouth, Tidmarsh Wildlife Sanctuary
• Our role: On-going stewardship 
• Partners: US Department of Agricultural Natural Resources Conservation Service, MA Division of Ecological Restoration, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), Town of Plymouth, American Rivers, Inter-fluve Inc., SumCo Eco-Contracting, and many others
• Acres: More than 250 acres of wetlands and uplands restored   
• Barriers: 10 small dams, 30+ culverts   
• Other benefits: Homebase for Living Observatory and site of numerous research and learning activities   

Making Space: Southeastern MA Marsh Migration Initiative 

• Summary: Aptly named, this initiative proposes to restore unproductive or retired cranberry farmland to “make space” and invite inland future salt marshes migration, creating a more climate resilient coast. Funded by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association, this initiative elicits three strategies to create a cross-sector system ready to protect and restore wetlands in the year to come: 1. launch systems for prioritizing sites and engage directly with interested cranberry farmers to enroll potential projects 2. complete two pilot projects and share lessons learned and 3. build a robust network of practitioners and partners for long term engagement and future projects. 
• Location: Cape Cod, South Coast, and South Shore  
• Our role: Initiative leader 
• Partners: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association, Native Land Conservancy, Cape Cod Cranberry Growers Association, Buzzards Bay Coalition, Living Observatory, Town of Falmouth  
• Other benefits: Marsh migration, enhanced trails, community engagement, strengthen partners relationship, pilot new restoration approaches and ideas

Making Space: Marks Cove Wetland Restoration  

• Summary: A Making Space pilot site, Marks Cove is a small abandoned cranberry farm located within a 118-acres conservation area containing agricultural ponds, walking trails, a tidal creek, and adjacent forests. Restoration action will include removing berms and water control structures, filling perimeter ditches, and channel restoration to improve natural hydrology, as well as invasive species removal. 
• Status: The project is now in permitting with construction slated for late 2026.  
• Location: Wareham, Marks Cove Conservation Area 
• Our role: Project management  
• Partners: Buzzards Bay Coalition, Wildlands Trust, Town of Wareham, Wareham Land Trust, Fuss & O’Neill 
• Acres: 20 acres of wetlands to be restored 
• Barriers: 5 small dams/agricultural embankments to be removed 
• Other benefits: Improved fish and wildlife habitat, strengthened co-stewardship of site, community engagement, preparation for future inland marsh migration

Making Space: Upper Coonamessett River Wetlands Restoration 

• Summary: As Making Space pilot site, this restoration project is a continuation of a longstanding effort to restore fish passage and facilitate marsh migration along Coonamessett River. Restoration approaches include removing barriers (berms, culverts, water control structures) to reinstate natural hydrology, uncompacting bog surface to reconnect water table and expose native seed banks, removing legacy agriculture ditches, and recreating stream channel for fish passage. 
• Status: Construction was completed in Fall 2025. Ecological monitoring is in progress.
• Location: Falmouth  
• Our role: Technical assistance and funding (via National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association grant to Mass Audubon) 
• Partners: Town of Falmouth, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association, U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe, Coonamessett River Trust, Stimson, The 300 Committee Land Trust, Inter-Fluve Inc., and SumCo Eco-Contracting 
• Acres: 18.5 acres of wetlands restored 
• Barriers: 7 small dams removed 
• Other benefits: Restored herring run; cultural respect easements are in discussion with Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe; and improved public access and trails

Century Bog Wetland Restoration 

• Summary: Owned by Mass Wildlife, this large former cranberry farm is being restored to a mosaic of habitat types including wet meadow, Atlantic white cedar swamp, emergent marsh, grassland, coastal plain pond, and coldwater stream. Design and permitting is now in progress. Restoration actions will include soil decompaction, invasive species management, and the removal of berms, ditches, and water control structures.
• Status: Permitting will soon be completed, and construction will begin by mid-2026.
• Location: Wareham, Red Brook Wildlife Management Area 
• Our role: Technical assistance 
• Partners: Mass Wildlife, Buzzards Bay Coalition, MA In-Lieu Fee Program, MA Division of Ecological Restoration, Ducks Unlimited, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association, U.S. Department of Agricultural Natural Resources Conservation Service, Inter-Fluve Inc.   
• Acres: 75 acres of wetlands and 10+ acres of grasslands to be restored  
• Barriers: 8 small dams and dozens of small culverts to be removed 
• Other benefits: Improved fish passage for an active herring run. Reduced use by illegal ATVS and motorized vehicles. Improved public access and open space.    

Piscitelli Bogs Wetland Restoration 

• Summary: An ideal candidate for inland marsh migration, this abandoned cranberry farm is located next to the ocean, separated only by an earthen berm containing a public water line that has been destroyed as a result of a prior hurricane. Degraded by ditches, small dams, sand fill, and invasive plants, restoration actions will include relocating the water line to increase local resiliency, removing berms to invite tidal flow into the site, closing ditches to improve natural hydrology, and other actions to rejuvenate native wetland plants. 
• Status: The site is in the assessment and conceptual design phase.  
• Location: Wareham   
• Our role: Project management and technical assistance 
• Partners: Buzzards Bay Coalition, USDA NRCS, Onset Water Department, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association
• Acres: 30 acres of wetlands to be restored 
• Barriers: 7 small dams and 8-ft high earthen berm to be removed 
• Other benefits: Future inland salt marsh migration; new protected public open space; improved resilience for municipality infrastructure. 

Blackmere Bogs Wetland Restoration  

• Summary: Situated along tidal Beaverdam Creek, this extensive cranberry farm stretches across Route 6A and features a large impoundment on its northern side. Land protection efforts are currently in progress, with restoration assessment and design underway. Planned restoration actions include removing dams, rejuvenating soils, and restoring native plants to facilitate future inland marsh migration.
• Status: The project is in the early assessment and design phase. 
• Location: Wareham  
• Our role: Project management 
• Partners: Buzzards Bay Coalition, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA) 
• Acres: 100 acres of wetlands to be restored 
• Barriers: 8 small dams to be removed 
• Other benefits: Future inland salt marsh migration; improve biological diversity; new protected open space; improved equitable access to nature given proximity (<1mile) to an Environmental Justice community 

Pudding Brook Wetland Restoration  

• Summary: The project site is a large, Town-owned, former cranberry bog.  An active herring run is present nearby and downstream, but fish cannot access this watershed due to small dams that block passage.  Wetlands on the site are degraded from past industrial and agricultural activities including dams, culverts, ditches.  Beavers are present on the site and will be an important future alley in restoring healthy, functional wetlands.
• Status: The project is in baseline assessment and conceptual design phase.
• Location: Pembroke  
• Our role: Technical assistance 
• Partners: North South Rivers Watershed Association (NSRWA), Wildlands Trust, Town of Pembroke, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA) 
• Acres: approximately 300 acres of wetlands and updates to be potentially restored 
• Barriers: At least 3 small dams to be removed and dozens of culverts
• Other benefits: New protected open space, restored herring run, large wetland restoration, improved biological diversity, potential new public trails in the future.